Privacy Policy — Photo Vault
Effective date: 8 October 2026 Developer: Muhammed Elşami · Contact: muhammed97r@gmail.com
Photo Vault (which you can optionally disguise as "Calculator" on your home screen) is an offline application that stores your private photos and videos in an encrypted vault on your device. This policy explains what the app does — and does not — do with your data.
1. We do not collect any data
Photo Vault does not collect, transmit, sell or share any personal data. The app does not request the internet permission, so it is technically unable to send anything off your device. There are no user accounts, no cloud services, no analytics, no crash reporting and no advertising.
2. What stays on your device
- Photos and videos you add to the vault are encrypted with AES-256-GCM and stored in the app's private storage on your device. Thumbnails, file names and album names are encrypted too.
- Your PIN is never stored. It is used to derive a key that protects the vault key; the vault key is additionally protected by the Android Keystore (hardware-backed where available).
- Settings (theme, language, auto-lock, grid size, etc.) are stored locally and are not secret.
- Biometric unlock uses the Android system prompt. The app never receives your fingerprint or face data; it only learns whether the system authentication succeeded.
3. Permissions the app uses
| Permission | Why |
|---|---|
Biometrics (USE_BIOMETRIC) | Optional fingerprint/face step after the PIN |
Storage write, Android 9 only (WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, maxSdk 28) | "Restore to gallery" on Android 9; Android 10+ uses scoped MediaStore access instead |
| Photo picker / document picker | You choose which files to import; the app has no broad access to your gallery |
| Share menu (receives shared photos and videos) | Only the items you share to the app are read; their originals are removed only after Android asks you to confirm |
The app does not use location, contacts, camera, microphone or the advertising ID.
4. Deleting your data
- Moving items to the trash and emptying the trash permanently deletes the encrypted files.
- "Restore to gallery" decrypts an item back into your device's gallery, where any app can read it.
- Uninstalling the app deletes the vault and all its keys. Because the app has no backups and no cloud copy, this cannot be undone.
5. No PIN recovery
There is deliberately no way to recover a forgotten PIN — not for you and not for us. If you forget your PIN, the vault cannot be opened.
6. Children
Photo Vault is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect any data from anyone.
7. Security
We use current, well-reviewed cryptography and platform security features, but no security is absolute. Keep a device lock enabled, keep your PIN private and keep your device's software updated.
8. Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the new version will be published at the same address with an updated effective date. Because the app is offline, it cannot notify you automatically; please check this page when you update the app.
9. Contact
Questions about this policy: muhammed97r@gmail.com